Method and Arrangement in a Telecommunication System

Abstract

Method and arrangement in a network node for improving conditions for ground-based positioning of mobile terminals in a wireless communication system are disclosed. The method and arrangement concerns adaptation of an antenna arrangement associated with the network node, so that a virtual positioning cell is formed in a positioning radio resource, in which positioning reference signals are transmitted or received. In one exemplary embodiment, the antenna arrangement is adapted to form the virtual positioning cell by changing the radiation pattern of at least one antenna used for communication of user data traffic.

1 . A method in a network node for improving conditions for ground-based positioning of mobile terminals in a wireless communication system, comprising:
 generating a traffic cell for user data traffic using an antenna arrangement of the network node configured for said generating;   adapting the configuration of the antenna arrangement, in a positioning radio resource, to form a virtual positioning cell, wherein the virtual positioning cell is formed by changing the radiation pattern of at least one antenna used for communication of said user data traffic, and   transmitting or receiving reference signals used for positioning in said positioning radio resource, using the adapted antenna arrangement.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the virtual positioning cell has a larger coverage area as compared to the traffic cell associated with the network node. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the virtual positioning cell is designed to at least partly overlap with at least one other virtual positioning cell. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the radiation pattern is changed in the vertical dimension. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the radiation pattern is changed in the horizontal dimension. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the positioning radio resource occurs according to a predetermined schedule. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the positioning radio resource occurs dynamically according to received instructions. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the antenna arrangement is configured to generate the traffic cell in a radio resource not used for positioning. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the traffic cell and the virtual positioning cell are formed in different time-domain resources. 
     
     
         10 . A network node adapted to improve conditions for ground-based positioning of mobile terminals in a wireless communication system, where said network node comprises:
 an antenna arrangement comprising at least one antenna configured to generate a traffic cell for user data traffic;   an antenna arrangement control circuit configured to adapt the configuration of the antenna arrangement in a positioning radio resource, to form a virtual positioning cell, wherein the antenna arrangement control circuit is further configured to change the radiation pattern of at least one antenna used for communication of said user data traffic, to form the virtual positioning cell; and   at least one of a transmitting circuit configured to transmit, and a receiving circuit configured to receive, reference signals used for positioning in said positioning radio resource, using the adapted antenna arrangement.   
     
     
         11 . The network node according to  claim 10 , wherein the antenna arrangement control circuit is further configured to adapt the configuration of the antenna arrangement to form the virtual positioning cell so that it has a larger coverage area as compared to the traffic cell associated with the network node. 
     
     
         12 . The network node according to  claim 10 , wherein the antenna arrangement control circuit is further configured to adapt the configuration of the antenna arrangement to form the virtual positioning cell so that it at least partly overlaps with at least one other virtual positioning cell. 
     
     
         13 . The network node according to  claim 10 , wherein the radiation pattern is changed in the vertical dimension. 
     
     
         14 . The network node according to  claim 10 , wherein the radiation pattern is changed in the horizontal dimension. 
     
     
         15 . The network node according to  claim 10 , wherein the antenna arrangement control circuit is further configured to adapt the configuration of the antenna arrangement according to a predetermined schedule. 
     
     
         16 . The network node according to  claim 10 , wherein the antenna arrangement control circuit is further configured to adapt the configuration of the antenna arrangement dynamically, according to received instructions. 
     
     
         17 . The network node according to  claim 10 , wherein the antenna arrangement is configured to generate the traffic cell in a radio resource not used for positioning. 
     
     
         18 . The network node according to  claim 10 , wherein the traffic cell and the virtual positioning cell are formed in different time-domain resources.